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The Brag Basket is not really about bragging

By Small Biz Survival

Every week, I open a Brag Basket, but it’s not really about bragging. It’s about sharing. It’s here so you can introduce yourself or share some good news.

Speak up and add yourself or another deserving soul in the comments. We all cheer, and everyone feels great. It lets you meet each other a bit. Reading each others’ stories brings us a bit closer to being a community. 

This particular basket is open from Dec. 18-20, 2009.

How does it work? You write a comment on this post. You tell something great about your week, or you give plaudits to someone who did good stuff this week. Or you celebrate a terrific failure. It’s not an ad; it’s a conversation with friends. So jump in.

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December 18, 2009 Filed Under: brag basket

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Check our commenting policy.
Use your real name, not a business name.


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Comments

  1. Leora Wenger says

    December 18, 2009 at 11:56 am

    Hi, Becky! I hope you had a good week. I am thankful for two friends in particular this week that helped me – one is a writer and the other a web developer, and I just want to say it’s great to have good friends. Take care!

  2. Tom Rasely says

    December 18, 2009 at 12:34 pm

    Incredible week for us–two premiers of musical compositions, a result of years of building bridges among the arts community in our very rural area. And your website has been an inspiration.

  3. Ari Herzog says

    December 18, 2009 at 1:55 pm

    Have I shared that I was elected last month to the as a city councilor? I’ll be inaugurated in January for a 2-year term in Newburyport, Massachusetts (about an hour northeast of Boston).

  4. Deb Brown says

    December 18, 2009 at 1:56 pm

    I take a lot of pictures. I put together a Tour of Historical Homes in the community this year (it went very well btw) and took lots of pictures at the Blum Boehmler House. I am now working with the family to create an amazing website using those pictures, their stories and the history of the house! And it’s a paid gig!

  5. Becky McCray says

    December 18, 2009 at 2:06 pm

    Wow! The early risers have good things to say!

    Leora, congratulations to you and your wonderful friends.

    Tom, that sounds amazing! I love to hear that years of work have paid off. Where can we read more about this project?

    Ari, even if you did, it’s worth mentioning again. Congratulations! You will serve your community well.

    Deb, hurray for paid gigs! And I love that you take so many photos. :)

  6. Jennifer Brooks says

    December 18, 2009 at 6:04 pm

    I’m grateful for the connections I’ve made over the year … not only have they been rewarding professionally, I’ve also made some great new friends!

    Cheers & Merry Christmas to all,
    Jennifer

  7. Becky McCray says

    December 18, 2009 at 6:21 pm

    Congratulations, Jennifer. People and relationships really are the most important.

  8. Lauri says

    December 18, 2009 at 7:20 pm

    I am in my fourth year as the director of the Mrs. Oklahoma International Pageant. I know that a lot of people laugh at pageants but I am so proud of my titleholders that I’d just like to brag here a little.

    Our contestants, who are married, must have a community service platform. At the pageant, fully 50% of their score is based upon interviews regarding this platform. For this reason, we encourage them to enter early and work their local title. By this I mean, get out there, put their energy and their voice to their chosen platform and really get to know it. This helps them in two ways. The first, obviously, is that it will fulfill them like nothing else. We all know how great it feels to help others. Secondly, though, this community interaction helps them to become more familiar with their chosen cause and results in a better interview with the judges at the pageant.

    The result for me is that I am so proud I could burst. I have amazing women doing incredible things all over the state of Oklahoma! From post partum depression, to sexual child abuse, to pancreatic cancer awareness and everything in between, our ladies are out there raising awareness, raising funds, and making our state a better place.

    I thank you for letting me brag. I always feel that if more people understood our mission, they would be just as proud of these ladies as I am!

  9. Becky McCray says

    December 18, 2009 at 7:28 pm

    Lauri, that is exactly what the Brag Basket is all about: sharing stories. Congratulations to all your title holders.

  10. Becky McCray says

    December 18, 2009 at 7:35 pm

    And did you all see our friend Shashi Bellamkonda? He was profiled in today’s Washington Business Journal. Congrats, Shashi!

  11. Omer Rosenbaum says

    December 18, 2009 at 9:12 pm

    I had some important meeting this week, but it looks like no new developments will happened until the 2nd week of 2010. And that is a little depressing.

  12. Becky McCray says

    December 18, 2009 at 9:22 pm

    Omer, I’ll cheer because you had some important meetings! And I’ll also bet you have some good people to mention who deserve a pat on the back or a compliment.

  13. Alexandra Spirer says

    December 18, 2009 at 11:05 pm

    I am thankful for good friends as one of my good friend’s is battling brain cancer. I am blessed to have friends who care and are there to listen when I am having a rough day especially now as my friend is not getting better.

  14. Becky McCray says

    December 18, 2009 at 11:11 pm

    Alexandra, that’s very tough. Here’s to those good friends who stick with you.

  15. Alix McKenzie says

    December 19, 2009 at 9:46 am

    First time posting from the UK, though I’ve followed the community with great interest for a little while.

    After a year of planning, working, hitting dead ends and turning around again, my business is starting to get off the ground. My business cards arrived this week, so I feel ‘official’ now.

  16. Andy Hoffman says

    December 19, 2009 at 2:52 pm

    I am going to spend my evening helping Santa write letters to kids all around the world, with Santa’s Elves, Inc. I do it every year with a bunch of my friends. This year is no different! We always have a blast!
    http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/lsquosantarsquos-elvesrsquo-launch-letter-campaign,1047701.shtml

  17. Becky McCray says

    December 19, 2009 at 4:09 pm

    Alix, congratulations! I love that official feeling; I know just what you mean.

    Andy, good for you! Sounds like a terrifically rewarding experience.

  18. Chris S. Cornell says

    December 19, 2009 at 5:14 pm

    Love this blog site, Becky. That’s why I keep coming back.

    After much delay, the Pleasantville Chamber of Commerce finally opened a Twitter account, and is launching a new interactive website in early Jan. Small steps, but signs of great things to come. Thanks for being an inspiration.

  19. Becky McCray says

    December 19, 2009 at 5:18 pm

    Thank you, Chris. Congratulations to the whole crew of folks working to move Pleasantville forward!

  20. Becky McCray says

    December 19, 2009 at 5:32 pm

    Jon Swanson, who is out shopping today, nominated Glenda Watson Hyatt’s ebook for the Brag Basket. I absolutely agree! Glenda put together a group of her best writings as an ebook, and is making it available for sale.
    “To support the Union Gospel Mission – the lifeline to basic necessities for thousands of men, women and children – and its hope-giving Christmas Dinner campaign, every ebook purchased before December 21st for only $6.50, $3.29 will buy Christmas dinner for someone in need.”
    Yay, Glenda!
    Here’s the link where you can get your own copy, and help feed someone this Christmas:
    http://www.doitmyselfblog.com/2009/lets-feed-100-people-in-need-christmas-dinner-again/

  21. Shashi Bellamkonda says

    December 19, 2009 at 5:56 pm

    Thanks Becky for adding my profile in the Washington Business Journal. http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2009/12/21/story9.html?ana=e_ph It is a great moment for me to be featured there.

    Shashi

  22. Becky McCray says

    December 19, 2009 at 6:06 pm

    A big round of applause for your well-deserved public recognition, Shashi. I’m proud of you!

  23. Brandon says

    December 19, 2009 at 10:19 pm

    Well, I missed my deadline by a day, but I’ll take it. My book is finally published and available for purchase. This book took a lot of work, a lot of effort, and I hope it provides real value to those that read it.

    The title: “The Leading Entrepreneur: Taking the helm of your small business and leading it to success”

    You can find it for purchase here: http://bit.ly/8HahyH
    (I used an URL shortener because the full link is ridiculously long)

    I hope that the work I’ve done with this book will give me an opportunity to publish more works that detail what I have written about.

    Thank you for letting me brag!
    – Brandon

  24. Becky McCray says

    December 19, 2009 at 10:35 pm

    Hurray, Brandon! A big congratulations on bringing your idea all the way to in print. Here’s to many more opportunities to come.

  25. Glenda Watson Hyatt says

    December 31, 2009 at 7:19 am

    Thanks Jon and Becky! fifty people in need enjoyed a hot meal on Christmas.

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